Tensions Rise as US Warships Arrive in Southern Caribbean
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela are rising amid a large U.S. naval buildup in the Southern Caribbean and nearby waters, which U.S. officials say aims to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.U.S. President Donald Trump has made cracking down on drug cartels a central goal of his administration, part of a wider effort to limit migration and secure the U.S. southern border. While U.S.
Joint Military Exercise Will See US Typhon Missile System to Deployed to Japan
A joint U.S. and Japanese military exercise will see the temporary deployment of the "Typhon" intermediate-range missile in Japan, Japanese and U.S. officials said on Thursday, a move likely to anger China.The Typhon system is part of a drive by Washington to amass a variety of anti-ship weapons in Asia. The weapon drew sharp criticism from China when first deployed in the Philippines in 2024, also…
Soya IT Marine Solutions Achieves NIS2 and NIST Compliance
Soya IT Marine Solutions is now compliant with both NIS2 and NIST—the EU and US frameworks for cybersecurity, respectively. Achieving compliance with two of the world's strictest regulations means that Soya IT Marine Solutions delivers top-class cyber security. For customers, this means extra protection against cyber attacks, intrusions and operational disruptions—both on board individual ships and…
DNV Updates Simulator Standard for Evolving Maritime Training
DNV has released a revision of its Maritime Simulator Systems Standard (DNV-ST-0033), reflecting the growing diversity of simulation technologies used in maritime training and certification.The updated standard introduces terminology for virtual reality (VR), synthetic environments and mixed reality, reflecting the growing diversity of simulation formats.The foundational competence requirements have been extended to include alternative fuels such as ammonia…
German Shipbuilder Reportedly Eyed by Rheinmetall
European defense giant Rheinmetall has signalled interest in taking over German shipbuilder Naval Vessels Luerssen, industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday, as the Duesseldorf-based firm looks to expand into the naval business.According to the Bild newspaper, which first reported Rheinmetall's plans, the supervisory board intends to consider the purchase in the coming weeks.According to Bild, the Luerssen family…
Tanker Vessel Market Bends Under Supply and Demand Strains
“We forecast a balanced development in the crude tanker market in 2025 and 2026 while we expect the product tanker market to remain weaker than in 2024. The product tanker suffers under the weight of increasing supply growth and weaker demand growth due to shorter sailing distances,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.Due to OPEC+’s recent decision to reverse oil production cuts, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has increased its crude oil supply forecast significantly.
Keppel, Seatrium in $53M Arbitration Case Over Brazil Corruption Scheme
Singapore's Keppel has initiated arbitration proceedings against local shipbuilder Seatrium for a S$68.4 million ($53.33 million) claim related to a corruption crackdown in Brazil, the companies said on Tuesday.In 2023, Seatrium had made provisions worth S$82.4 million to pay Keppel against claims related to the crackdown, named Operation Car Wash.Seatrium noted the obligation to pay Keppel expired…
Höegh Autoliners Orders First Ammonia Engines for PCTCs
Höegh Autoliners has placed an order for four ammonia-burning Everllence B&W 7S60ME-LGIA (Liquid Gas Injection Ammonia) dual-fuel engines for four 9,100 CEU Aurora-class pure car truck carriers (PCTCs).The vessels will be the first in the PCTC segment to receive DNV’s ammonia-ready and methanol-ready notations.Everllence views the order as signalling a new era for clean propulsion within global shipping. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.
New Electrolyzer to Turn Emissions into e-Fuels
An EU-funded project is helping accelerate the adoption of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies that transform carbon dioxide emissions into valuable resources such as fuels, chemicals, and construction materials.CCU is based on the principle of capturing carbon dioxide and reusing it in various forms, such as e-fuels created by combining captured CO2 with renewable hydrogen.The ECO2Fuel…
Canada Selects Qualified Bidders for Supply of New Submarines
Joël Lightbound, Canada’s Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, and the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement), have announced that the Government of Canada has identified German company Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Korean company Hanwha Ocean as the two qualified suppliers for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).Delivery…
Trump Tariffs Reroute Brazilian Beef to Mexico
Mexico has overtaken the U.S. as the second largest importer of Brazil's beef after the imposition of tariffs by President Donald Trump on August 6 affected shipments from the world's largest exporter, Brazilian beef lobby Abiec said on Wednesday.Brazilian beef, which was already subject to a U.S. import tax of 26.4% outside of an exempt quota, now faces an additional 50% levy.Between August 1-25, Brazil exported 10,200 metric tons of beef to Mexico worth $58.8 million, according to Abiec data.
Ascenz Marorka Signs Contract to Equip 24 LNG Carriers with Sloshield
Ascenz Marorka, a GTT Group company, announced the signing of a contract with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a GTT long-time partner, to equip 24 LNG carriers with its Sloshield system.Sloshield is an advanced solution for detecting and reducing sloshing risks in LNG cargo tanks. By providing real-time monitoring and predictive analysis, it enables ship operators to preserve cargo integrity, limit structural stress…
Doubling of US Tariffs on India Begins Wednesday
U.S. President Donald Trump's doubling of tariffs on imports from India to as much as 50% took effect as scheduled on Wednesday, dealing a serious blow to ties between the two countries that became strategic partners after the turn of this century.A punitive 25% tariff imposed due to India's purchases of Russian oil adds to Trump's prior 25% tariff on many imports from the South Asian nation and is…
Port Houston Records Double-Digit Gains in Standout July
July was a standout month for Port Houston’s public terminals, with double-digit growth in key sectors that pushed year-to-date totals to new heights. Container volumes for July were up are markable 21% compared to July 2024, reaching 392,829 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This is one of the Port’s strongest single-month performances on record. Throughout this year Port Houston has continued…
Bristol Harbor Group Welcomes Lauren Kirk
Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) has welcomed Lauren Kirk as a naval architect to its naval architecture and marine engineering firm. Lauren Kirk holds a bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture and MarineEngineering from Webb Institute.During her time at Webb, Lauren interned at BHGI and Gilbert Associates, assisting naval architects and marine engineers with system and structural design for various types of vessels.
Corvus Energy Battery System Powers Trapananda Electric Tugboat
SAAM, the largest towage operator in the Americas, has introduced Trapananda, the first fully electric tugboat in Latin America, developed in partnership with Chile’s national oil company Enap. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL), built by Sanmar Shipyards, and powered by a Corvus Energy lithium-ion battery system, the tug will operate at Puerto Chacabuco in southern Chile.Measuring 25m with a 70-ton bollard pull, Trapananda will assist vessel maneuvers under challenging harbor conditions.
Oceanbird Launches Wing 560
Oceanbird launched its first rigid wing sail, the Wing 560, on August 25, 2025. Aside from being a new landmark in Landskrona, Southern Sweden, it will be an important site for crew training, customers visits and optimization of the automation system. The Oceanbird company was formed 3.5 years ago as a joint venture between Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines. Since then, the team has developed a rigid, 40-meter high and 14-meter-wide wing sail.
Wärtsilä to Integrate Battery Extension for Wasaline Ferry
Wärtsilä has been selected as the electrical integrator for a major battery extension project for the Wasaline ROPAX ferry "Aurora Botnia." The project will increase the ship’s battery capacity by 10.4 MWh, from 2.2 MWh to 12.6 MWh, making it the world’s largest marine battery hybrid system in operation. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in Q3 2025.In the transition to more sustainable ferry transportation…
ABS Certifies World’s Largest Classed Unmanned Surface Vehicle
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued classification to the Surveyor, a fully autonomous deepwater unmanned surface vehicle (USV), developed by Saildrone.At 20 meters long and capable of unmanned operations across all of the world’s oceans, the Surveyor is the largest class of USVs from Saildrone, a provider of maritime security, ocean mapping, and meteorological and oceanographic data using unmanned autonomous assets.The USV is capable of long-endurance missions in the open ocean…
Seatrium Signs FLNG Vessel Upgrade Deal for Golar LNG
Seatrium has secured a contract from Golar Hilli Corporation, a subsidiary of Golar LNG, to perform the upgrading of floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit Hilli Episeyo.Scheduled to enter the yard in the third quarter of 2026, the project involves technical modifications for FLNG Hilli Episeyo’s redeployment.The scope of work includes engineering and procurement of long-lead items, repair and life extension and winterization of the vessel…
